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I’ll not wish for my daughter to be quiet again

Posted on 1:35pm Thursday 19th Jan 2017

The only time I've wished for my daughter to make a racket

Over the past few weeks I’ve been dreaming of some peace and quiet. My two are at the age now where they’ve started to squabble and fight over the same toy, or have screaming contests with each other! They are 22 months and 4.5 years. It can be noisy and chaotic most days and I feel like I’m constantly shouting at them to stop shouting (yes I know, totally contradicting myself). My son has just started nursery so I’m going to get a little peace for 3 hours a week from now on, and hopefully more soon.

Today, however, I’m really wishing my daughter would make some noise!

She’s been poorly since Monday night and off school for three days now. She’s not herself at all and super quiet with a glazed look, just lying around. Insert sad mummy face.

It’s the first time she’s had to be off school and only last week she received a 100% attendance certificate for the autumn term. On Tuesday when I said she was too ill for school (having thrown up all over the bed Monday evening), the first thing she said was ‘but my certificate!’ We’ve even read her school reading book she was given on Monday as I think she’s really missing school! It looked like she could barely focus on the page, but when I suggested doing it another time she refused, determined to read it!

It’s so horrible seeing your child so unlike themselves and not being able to do anything. Usually she is only ill for one or two days, and not that often, so this is a long time for her. I really would rather hear the screaming matches and squabbles right now!

The school 100% attendance certificates are quite a funny thing too. One parent said to me ‘it’s weird isn’t it? It’s like celebrating their good immune systems!’ Yes it is. Poor Bella would much rather be at school now, but can’t even muster up any energy to walk around our home, is crazy hot and not eating, so school is out of the question for now.

Not that I should complain, as Bella’s health is most important, but it does mean the parent (me in this case) has to stay at home the whole time too. I’m beginning to go a little stir crazy stuck indoors!